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Monthly Archives: August 2014

You don’t need much to make mussels delicious (and nutritious). Steaming them in water or throwing them on a hot grill would work.

BUT a few pantry staples up the game and make you look like a genius.

Ingredients:

De-bearded and clean mussels from the fishmonger (love that word). Ask if they’re good to go.They commonly come in bags that feed 6 as an app, 4 for dinner. Rinse.

2-3 shallots, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped or sliced

White wine

Drop of olive oil

Pinch of pepper flakes

Chicken or fish stock or water

Mussels should be tightly closed. Before cooking toss any open ones. After cooking toss any closed ones – they’re past prime.

Slimly coat large heavy bottom pot that has a lid. Add shallots (or onion). Soften with a pinch of salt. Add garlic, stir a minute or two. Add pepper flakes. Add some big glugs of wine. Reduce by half. Add an equal amount of stock or water – I used H2O. Bring to boil. Throw in mussels. Slap a lid on it and reduce heat for simmering. Mussels should extend above the liquid for steaming. In a few minutes mussels are done.

Serve with grilled, or not, bread.

Can also be tossed with pasta (cook some chopped tomatoes in the broth before adding mussels – yum!